Venezuela: Industrial relations

Original and updating author: Juan Carlos Varela, Littler

See the legal services provided by the authors of International > Venezuela, including any discounts/offers for subscribers.

Summary

• Employees have a constitutional right freely to establish such trade union organisations as they may deem appropriate for the best protection of their rights and interests, as well as the right to join or not to join such unions. (See Trade unions and recognition)
• If any trade union has members among an employer's employees, the employer is obliged to negotiate and sign a collective agreement with the trade union that is "most representative" of its employees, at this union's request. (See Collective bargaining and agreements)
• Employers are subject to several specific information and/or consultation requirements, notably with regard to health and safety. (See Informing and consulting employees - general)
• While the legal position is somewhat unclear, collective redundancies are essentially unlawful. (See Informing and consulting prior to redundancies)
• In the event of a planned "employer substitution", the transferor must inform the employees concerned in advance. (See Informing and consulting prior to transfers)
• Employees have a constitutional right to strike. (See Industrial action)